MR. GEORGE AT WARKWORTH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2059, 29 September 1880, Page 3

MR. GEORGE AT WARKWORTH.

[per press association special wire.] AUCKLAND, September 28, Mr Seymour George, M.K.R., in addressing his constituents at Warkworth, said that he did not agree with those who considered the last session a barren one, for much good work had been done, more perhaps than during any session since he had been in the House. The groat work of the session was, he considered, the financial reforms. A largo section of the House determined to have the finances of the colony established on a more satisfactory basis, and to a large extent they had succeeded. He was opposed to the centralising tendencies of the Government at Wellington, and considered that eventually it

would be necessary to have 1 separation. The proposed increase of representatives in the South would be still further against the North. The apportionment of the colonial debt ,he thought, should be on the basis of population, there being now 250,000 in the South and 150,000 in the North. The former ■ lould takpfive-eighths of £27,000,000 of the debt, leaving the North the remaining threeeighths. He would determinedly oppose any further borrowing, believing that in _ future the South would get more than its fair share of expenditure, and the North more than its fair share of taxation. The Government intended to stop the subsidies, and he supposed that County Councils had received notice that 7s 6d in the £, and 20 per cent, land revenue, would no longer be paid to counties, but would all bo general revenue. This caused a better feeling between Otago and Auckland, and this was the first time that the Auckland men had voted together. He was only sorry

that the land fund was not made colonial revenue some years ago. Ho thought that the now system was better than subsidies. The present Government charged the late Government with spending the whole of the £5 000,000 loan. There was £2,000,000 of it still left. The debt of the colony was £27,000,000, and they had to send home every year one and a half millions to pay interest on loans, besides which about the same amount was sent home annually to pay interest on private loans. They had never yet paid interest out of revenue, and when they oamo to the end of a loan bad times would

name. They had not felt the bad limes jet. In ; three years’ time there would be more borrowing, or else a smash. The Maori difficulty on the West Coast was a grave affair, and he feared that it woo d involve us in further trouble before it was settled. It was at present costing the oolony from £300,000 to £400,000 a year. There appeared to be only one way to get out of the difficulty, and that was to give them back ■ the whole of the unoccupied West Coast; lands. It had already cost the colony more than it is worth, but there would be a danger in this, as the Waikatos would expect lo have their landi given back also. The conduct of the Government in connection with tile purchase of the Patatere block was severely commented on. The Piako affair sank into insignificanoa beside it. Mr Wbitaker, solicitor for the Company, had admitted in the house that the I >nd was worth £200,000. Tbo Government had paid £15,000 on it and could secure it for £60,000, but they had been for some time treating with the speculators, and wore retiring in their favor. Ti e Government were not popular with their own party, and wore really being kept in power by the Opposition, who had to keep them to help them to pass their own measures. Sir G. Grey was .xcccdingly disliked by the large landowners, though he could command a larger number of followers than any other member of the party. There wore men supporting the present Government who did not believe in them, but because they feared that were they ousted Sir George wou'd again get into power. A vote of confidence was carried, and Mr George thanked the electors for the mark of their approbation. He said that ho would offer himself again next election, and would contest Rodney against all comers.